Previous News
Monkhorst stands tall for Pies
Monday, 16th March 1998
By JAKE NIALL
Practice match form is known to be misleading, especially when, like yesterday, one team is close to full strength while the other is several players short of its best. What really matters is the fitness and form of individuals.
So, while yesterday's 78-point win over Fremantle provided a much-needed boost to Collingwood's morale, the most important benefit was this: some top Magpies who were disappointing or injured last year were in good physical shape and good form.
Damian Monkhorst, Tony Francis and Scott Burns and, to a lesser degree, Andrew Schauble, were the bearers of good news for the Magpies yesterday.
It has been apparent for two seasons that, with little back-up in the ruck, Collingwood struggles without a fit Monkhorst. Last year, he was overweight and, at times, the increasingly athletic competition appeared to have passed him by.
Yesterday, Monkhorst immediately showed that the rigorous pre-season he endured in a bid to resurrect his career had been beneficial. He marked with authority, put his huge frame into contests and, most importantly, ran. He was considerably more mobile than the Monkhorst of 1997.
Admittedly, he was often matched with a rookie, Clem Michael, who is athletic, but lacking the size and experience of his Magpie opponent. Still, Monkhorst's display pleased coach Tony Shaw. "He was very good today, very good," Shaw said. "He gave us some link in midfield and then did well in the ruck contest. He looked a bit better, didn't he."
Burns, meanwhile, a key player when the Magpies were hot early last year, showed he had overcome a bad groin injury that caused him to miss most of the second half of 1997. Francis, injured for much of last year and disappointing in most games he played, was sharp and aggressive.
Burns and Monkhorst were among the best afield, along with Schauble, the young key defender whose form tailed off last year after a fine 1996.
Saverio Rocca's confidence improved as the game progressed, and he kicked three goals and took several strong marks. Nathan Buckley kicked three in the first half, playing as a roaming forward before Shaw spelled him in the second half.
The only bad news for Collingwood was an ankle injury to young full-back Mal Michael. "It's not as bad as we thought but he just twisted it," Shaw said. "Hopefully, he'll be right for the first game."
The Dockers could console themselves with the fact that several regulars were missing yesterday. Stephen O'Reilly, Luke Toia, Quentin Leach, Clive Waterhouse, Jason Norrish, Chris Bond, Shane Parker and Anthony Jones were among the absentees and most should be back for the first game against Melbourne.
Buckley fires pies up front
Monday, 9 March 1998
Centre half-forward Nathan Buckley kicked the winning goal in the last four minutes to give
Collingwood a five-point victory over Hawthorn during an AFL practice match at Tatura in
northern Victoria yesterday. Buckley's impressive performance helped the Magpies win 13.10-88
from the Hawks 11.16-82.
Buckley dominated with more than 20 possessions in the first half alone and kicked four goals.
Collingwood coach Tony Shaw said Buckley had relished his time at centre half-forward.
"We've been playing him there for the last three weeks. It's just something different but he's really good enough to
play anywhere," Shaw said.
"He put a bit of pressure on them and our forward line structure was certainly better today than it was last
week." With Buckley dominating the forward line, Saverio Rocca was left to play a minor role.
Hawthorn's No. 1 draft pick, 17-year-old Trent Croad, given the task of minding Rocca performed well after
Rocca kicked two goals in the first quarter.
Rocca kicked five goals for the day, with the hard-running Scott Russell finishing the game with two.
For Hawthorn, Nick Holland was sensational for the first three quarters.
Holland kicked five goals and took some impressive marks at full-forward before switching with ruckman Paul Salmon.
Rocca to miss two with knee injury
By MARTIN BLAKE
Collingwood's early-season run of ill-fortune has continued with a knee injury to
top forward Anthony Rocca.
Rocca jarred the knee during a training session at Victoria Park yesterday, and a
club spokesman said he was expected to miss up to two weeks.
The incident happened soon after the club had been forced to call a news conference
to explain its difficulties with new major sponsor, Viatel Communications.
Although there were initial fears the injury may have been serious, Rocca got to his
feet and hobbled from the ground.
The Magpies also have been asked by the AFL to explain why they were almost late
for their Ansett Cup match in Perth earlier this week.
A flight cancellation meant the players arrived only two hours before the Subiaco Oval
game, which they lost ignominiously.
The AFL usually insists that clubs travelling interstate make the trip on the eve of a
game to avoid such problems.
But Collingwood chief executive John May said the club would defend itself vigorously.
"We understood the rules and so far as we understood the rules. We haven't broken any," May said.
Taking the Micky out of footy
By MARTIN FLANAGAN
(The beginning of the original article is missing from 'The Age' website. If it appears I'll complete
this posting.)
...was playing the best footy of his career and Matthews threw him into the role of tagger. A graduate of the Tony Shaw
school of tormenting opponents, McGuane appeared like a chattering phantom on Lewis's arm. It was epic stuff. The
two teams tied their first final; Collingwood clubbed them into submission in the replay.
But it is as an offensive player that McGuane deserves to be remembered.
Another former Collingwood teammate, Craig Kelly, says nobody understood football as chess better than McGuane.
Not only did he know where to run, he could tell other players where to go, too.
When Collingwood was playing well, says Kelly, Shaw and McGuane controlled the mid-field. "He had the ability to see
the whole game in its entirety," says Kelly. "Tactically, he was one of the best. Matthews and (Carlton coach David) Parkin
would tell you that."
I tried the question on Matthews. He laughed, as he often does when considering football's hypotheticals, and said in his
prosaic way: "You've got players who play footy and you've got players who are footy people. Mick was one of the
latter."
Everyone says that about him. He'll watch footy any time, anywhere. His father coached, his uncle coached, he would like
to coach. He says it interests him just seeing the structures, the tactics, the way the players are deployed.
In 1994, he kicked one of the MCG's truly memorable goals. His opponent was Greg Williams, a great player with the ball,
not so good without it. Micky broke from the centre square and ran like a hare. Seven bounces and two baulks later,
the deed was done.
One journalist wrote that the crowd's response was the loudest he had heard in that great theatre of sport. A few nights
later, I was at Victoria Park for a supporters' night attended by several Collingwood players. Each was given the microphone,
each was asked the same question: "Where were you when Micky made his run?"
That night, I met Betty Howman, who lived in Campbell Street, Collingwood. Everything in her house was black and
white - black lounge, white cushions, black-and-white vertical blinds. Even her bedroom, she told me, was black and white
and decorated with pictures of Collingwood players. I asked her what she thought of Micky's run. "Bloody wonderful,"
she said. "But then I think Mick's wonderful."
Mick McGuane represents something that may be passing from the game. He's a kid who grew up in a family of Collingwood
supporters, who got to play with the club of his passion.
His much-publicised weaknesses were traditional Australian ones - a beer and a bet. True, Mick went further in these
regards than most of his peers, but once people like him were as much a part of the game as liniment and leather stops.
They were part of its folklore.
Football is becoming increasingly processed, increasingly image-conscious. I asked Graham Wright whether he thinks
footy will have players such as Mick McGuane in the future. "No, I don't think that's going to happen any more,"
he said.
In his words, the days of the players "who burnt the candle at both ends" appear to be over.
Injury-hit McGuane opts for retirement.
By GREG DENHAM
Former Collingwood great Mick McGuane yesterday announced his retirement after an unsuccessful bid to kick-start his career again with Carlton.
McGuane, a dual Copeland Trophy winner, managed just three games last season for the Blues after 152 with Collingwood.
His recent lack of fitness, blamed on a hamstring strain, led to his downfall. It is believed that Carlton would have delisted him before next Tuesday's deadline.
McGuane, 30, was not available for comment yesterday. He is believed to be considering a tactical coaching role at AFL level.
Lee Walker stays with Pies
Collingwood has appointed former centre half-forward Lee Walker to its coaching staff.
Walker, who is recovering from his fourth knee reconstruction, appears certain to reject offers to join other clubs and give his knee a further 12 months to strengthen.
Collingwood / Hawthorn to play the first 'twilight' game.
(18/1) The A.F.L. has announced that 'twilight' games will be trialed in the first half of this season.
Twilight games will start at 3:30pm instead of the normal 2:10pm, with one game being played at
that time every Saturday for the first half of the season (8 at the MCG and 3 at Waverley).
The first 'twilight' game will be the Collingwood, Hawthorn match at the MCG on 28th March.
There will be a delayed (1 hour) telecast of the game in Melbourne and live coverage elsewhere.
The delayed start will enable television coverage of the entire game in Melbourne and still leave time
for coverage of late starting interstate matches.
Nick's Collingwood Page - Off Season
October '97 - March '98
There isn't much news during the off season, nor are there any games to relay on the scoreboard...no stats to update...not a lot to do! This page has taken up so much of my time over such a long period that it's difficult to stop, so Nick's Collingwood Page '98 is on the drawing board and rapidly taking shape.
I'd just like to say thank you to the thousands of Magpie fans (and others) who have supported this site and would like to let you know that I'll be back next season to cheer those mighty Magpies to the flag. The site will not be changing much during the break, but will still be here to act as a meeting place and forum for all those Pies supporters (and others) who still need their footy fix during the summer months.
Collingwood draft picks analysed
8. CHRIS TARRANT (17, Bendigo Pioneers)
Left-footed centre half-forward from South Mildura. Winner of an AFL life membership scholarship and an all-Australian at under-16 level last year. A bright prospect.
24. JAMES WASLEY (18, Norwood):
A super-quick wingman - the fastest player in the draft, the Pies claim - who plays with the Norwood seniors. Represented SA at under-18 level in 1996 and 1997. His
kicking and disposal need work.
56. BEN KINNEAR (18, Central District)
Mobile key forward who is strongly built. A strong overhead mark. Needs to work on his fitness.
81. TROY KIRWEN (17, Preston Knights)
Been playing football for only a short time. Tall, athletic centre half-back who has represented Victoria in basketball at under-19 level. A great leap, he finished third in the Victorian high jump this year. Turns 18 in December.
84. FRANKIE RASO (18, Preston Knights)
A strong, hard-working, no-nonsense on-baller. Has good pace and is straight at the ball.
86. SCOTT WHISTON (18, Central District)
A wildcard. Born in England, he is super-fit and an excellent triathlete. Has good skills but needs to learn more about the game. The Magpies admit they are taking a punt.
Lee Walker delisted, but Magpies leave door ajar
By Jake Niall and Linda Pearce of The Sunday Age
COLLINGWOOD will consider redrafting injury-prone forward Lee Walker in February if he is able to complete a rigorous pre-season.
Collingwood coach Tony Shaw said yesterday Walker, who was delisted on Friday, would complete a full pre-season with the club and play in practice matches before a decision was made.
Shaw said Walker had told the Magpies that he did not want to play football with another club.
The Magpies' high regard for Walker had prompted the club to retain him on its list until Friday's culling, despite his modest return of only 16 matches in three seasons. Walker has had four knee reconstructions - two at Collingwood - plus other knee surgery in an injury-plagued career.
Shaw said although the club had great respect for Walker, the decision to delist him and then give him a pre-season was "logical." His team-mates had to understand that "there are other issues than the great character of the man".
"It's pretty well crunch-time for him - he knows if he did it again, that's it. He understands it. Hopefully, he can get through. He'd have to play in a few practice matches."
Shaw said although the Magpies were due to play only one full-scale practice match before the (17 February) pre-season draft, Walker could take part in match practice with players the club considered for its rookie list.
The Draft
Gains: Stuart Mangin (Sydney), Clinton King (Sydney), Shannon Gibson (Hawthorn), Jamie Tape (Richmond), Brad Smith (Richmond).
Draft picks: nil.
Losses: Robert Ahmat (Sydney), Paul Sharkey (Hawthorn), Aaron James (Richmond).
Draft picks: 40 and one fifth round pick.
Delisted: Leigh Singline, Robert Schaefer.
Draft selections: 8, 24, 56.
The Pies were among the most aggressive clubs and while they did not pull off the last-hour coup of getting Jamie Shanahan, they will be happy to have bolstered their depth without sacrificing high draft picks. Collingwood finally found a club (Richmond) willing to gamble on the wayward one, Aaron James. In Jamie Tape and Brad Smith, they have acquired one ready-made player and a potential back-up ruckman.
Robbie Ahmat wanted out and the Pies received a fair deal, getting Clinton King, a quick small, and a tall, Stuart Mangin, who had been unable to win a spot in the settled Sydney back and front halves. It also cost them a third round pick (40).
The acquisition of Shannon Gibson in a straight swap with Paul Sharkey is one in which both clubs might benefit, given that both players needed a change of club. Gibson certainly has talent, the question is whether the Pies can find a suitable position, probably on the forward line.
Collingwood Play West Coast in London
(10/10) Collingwood and West Coast are playing an exhibition match in London on Sunday night
(AEST). The game will be televised live in some states (not this one unfortunately). If anyone
who watches the match either at the ground or on television would like to write a match
report and email
it to me, I will publish it on this page.
Young Pies tell the club they want out
By ASHLEY BROWNE
Collingwood pair Paul Sharkey and Robbie Ahmat yesterday became the first players to enter
the annual AFL post-season player-trading stakes when they declared their desire to be traded.
Their manager, Shane Casley, said the pair felt they had run their race at Victoria Park and
wanted to be traded in a bid to play more senior football.
Sharkey managed just five games for the Pies this year, for a total of 26 since making his
debut in 1994, while Ahmat, whose first game for Collingwood was in 1995, played 14 this year
for a total of 25.
"They've both been at the club for a few years and feel their future lies elsewhere," Casley
said last night. "They're both out of contract and hope that the club does the right thing
by them."
Ahmat made a splash this year when he was the centre of an on-field racial dispute with
Essendon's Michael Prior, who was ultimately cleared by the tribunal. According to Casley,
Ahmat's disenchantment with Collingwood is based purely on his likely number of future senior
appearances, and despite hailing from the Northern Territory, he would be happy to play with
a Melbourne-based club.
Collingwood football director Graham Allan said last night the players were still required at
the club and, as with all players, their tenure would be reviewed by the match committee and
the recruiting department later this week.
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